Hello there, fellow parents!
I'll be the first to admit it: I used to think, 'Who even reads soap reviews?' But then I got my hands on a little something from Umka, and I decided to go against my better judgment and write a review.
• Features
Check out this adorable packaging! It's a little rabbit with a flower pot, complete with an Aloe vera plant.
Weight: 80g
Country of origin: Russia
Shelf life: 18 months
At first glance, it's a white oval bar with the brand logo submerged in it. It's a bit small for an adult's hand, but it's a decent size compared to a kid's pencil.
• Ingredients
I was hoping the Aloe vera, which is touted as the main ingredient, would at least be in the middle of the list, if not the beginning. But it's just kind of... there at the end.
• The soap in action
I've had my fair share of soaps turning into mush, so I approached this one with caution. And, you know, for 25 rubles, it's not bad. You can find better quality soaps in this price range, but at least this one won't turn into goo in a minute when you leave it in the soap dish with water.
I didn't even plan on testing it, but my two little testers were eager to give it a go. And, according to their expert opinions, this soap from Umka can withstand up to 30 minutes underwater without turning into jelly. Okay, the top layer did get a bit softer, but it's already pretty soft to begin with, especially considering the ingredients. It's only the Ushastaya Niania that's even tougher, but they're different products altogether.
I've now used three bars of soap from Umka, and I'm happy to report that all of them have made it to the end without turning into a mushy mess.
● Foam creation
When we got a foamer for the bathroom and hung it a bit lower than the soap, but unfortunately, it wasn't hard for the kids to climb up and get to it, we discovered that this soap creates an amazing amount of foam! It's great on its own, but with the foamer, it's like a beast for creating foam!
In fact, it creates more foam than my facial cleansers, but I haven't tried replacing one with the other... yet.
The foam is super soft and gentle, made up of tiny bubbles that clean just as well with a foamy head as they do with regular washing.
● Odor
I'm not a fan of the aloe vera texture, but I love its scent! It's identical to what you'd find in any other brand, except for maybe some added extras or mix-ins.
In this soap, the odor is incredibly subtle and gentle, almost like whipped cream - my senses are loving the light, fast-disappearing aroma, and that's the only way I'd describe it.
● Usage
The kids adore washing their hands, and when they're not at daycare, we go through a bar in about 10 days. We take it to the park - wash our hands. We wash up - need soap. We get messy with food - wash our hands with soap, no matter what.
After a month of using this soap, I've managed to clean off a chunk of it almost down to the wooden surfboard in miniature. Based on that, I'd say the usage rate is average.
● My kid's reaction
With two tiny tots at home (I've got exclusive rights to write reviews here, but let's just say they're little mess-makers), I've noticed that their skin doesn't get dry or develop any patches, thank goodness we have soft water. They love playing with soap and pretending they're not involved.
From what I've observed, their delicate skin doesn't become drier or develop any patches, which is great. We're lucky to have soft water, or I might be writing about a different issue here.
I've been using Johnson Baby's kid-friendly cream on them, and they seem to enjoy it. I just squeeze a tiny bit onto their hands, and they're entertained for a while.
This suggests that their skin reacts normally to other moisturizers after using this soap.
THE VERDICT
This is an amazing soap for kids, with a lovely soft scent and incredible lather.
It's got average resistance to water, but considering the ingredients, I'd say that's a plus – it holds up well to moisture.
I love this soap, and so does my family. I highly recommend it.
Thanks for reading! Enjoy your time here ♡( ◡‿◡ )